Zermatt: All destinations, advice & information for your holidays!
In a promising location at 1,600 meters, the charming town of Zermatt welcomes you in the heart of the Canton of Valais. Take the cable car to Europe's highest mountain station on the Matterhorn and let your gaze wander over Swiss and Italian peaks. Zermatt is worth a visit in both winter and summer.
Table of contents
Zermatt - Must-see attractions
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
In the Valais Alps, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise awaits with several superlatives: Its mountain station on the Klein Matterhorn is the highest in Europe, and its glittering glacier palace with artistic ice sculptures, a walkable crevasse, and an ice slide is even the highest in the world. From Zermatt, you can reach the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, which is open year-round, by cable car. In addition to a viewing platform with views of 14 glaciers and mountain giants like Breithorn, Eiger, and Mont Blanc, you will also find a cinema, a restaurant, as well as wonderful hiking trails and ski slopes.
Gornergrat Railway
The first locomotive journey to the Gornergrat took place in 1897. In 1949, the 770 m long avalanche gallery was built. The train starts next to the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn station and covers a distance of 9 km with a maximum gradient of 20%. At the mountain station of the cogwheel railway, the Kulmhotel, the highest mountain hotel in Switzerland, is perched. From here and many vantage points, you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the mighty Monte Rosa mountain massif and the spectacular Matterhorn. In summer, the Gornergrat is a diverse hiking area.
Gorner Gorge
For millennia, the Gornera has shaped the bizarre rocky landscape south of Zermatt. The wild stream flows sometimes white and foamy, sometimes shimmering with colors through the rugged Gorner Gorge. The finest spray mist allows green vegetation from moss to coniferous trees to grow on the barren rocks. The Gorner Gorge is an adventurous excursion destination for the whole family. A wooden path with a railing winds up the rock walls and offers breathtaking views of the natural beauty. Daring active travelers can explore the entire gorge on unsecured paths with a mountain guide.
Matterhorn Museum Zermatlantis
Not only for mountaineers, the Matterhorn Museum Zermatlantis in the Swiss canton of Valais is a must. The underground museum village takes visitors into the Zermatt mountain world of the 19th century. Old, walkable buildings like the mountain guide house and barns full of livestock are astonishing. Numerous artifacts and recreated scenes illustrate the history of the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 by the Briton Edward Whymper. A rope that broke during the descent is one of the most significant exhibits. Photos and Luis Trenker's cult film "The Mountain Calls" are also on display.
Hinterdorf Street
However, it is not enough to simply describe Hinterdorfstrasse as quaint. The historic, cobbled street is lined with traditional wooden houses and offers a glimpse into the life of a real Swiss mountain village before it became one of the most famous ski destinations. Zermatt is car-free, allowing you to leisurely stroll through the alleys of this charming small town and admire the picturesque buildings. Hinterdorfstrasse branches off from Bahnhofstrasse and extends to the bank of the stream.
Rifle Lake
To visit the Riffelsee, it's worth getting up early: During dawn, the majestic Matterhorn is particularly impressively reflected on the mirror-smooth surface. You can reach this natural idyll in 10 minutes on foot from the Rotenboden station of the mountain railway. Ambitious individuals will find a challenge in a climbing tour on the Riffelhorn, which is located right next to the lake. Hidden behind the Riffelsee is another, smaller body of water that presents itself as an oasis of tranquility. A picnic on the shore is sure to relax.
Zermatt - Secret spots
The Lost Valley
The approximately 250 m long Lost Valley is located behind two lateral moraines of the Findel Glacier near Zermatt in the Valais Alps. The nature of this secluded valley is characterized by contrasts: gentle meadows with colorful flowers alternate with rugged rocks. From the end of the valley, you can enjoy the view of the Matterhorn.
Solvay Hut on Hörnli Ridge
Famous yet rarely used: Among the Swiss mountain shelters, the Solvay Hut on the Matterhorn near Zermatt enjoys cult status. No wonder, as the hut located at 4,003 m is designed solely as an emergency shelter. Its fame is due to its proximity to the Hörnli Ridge, the most frequented ascent route to the Matterhorn.
Gorge
Near Zermatt lies the Trift Gorge, a lesser-known attraction that showcases the wild beauty of the Swiss Alps. Away from the crowds flocking to the Matterhorn, the gorge, shaped by glacial meltwater, offers an adventurous nature experience with dramatic cliffs and the rushing Trift stream. An ideal place for those seeking solitude and a connection to nature, to explore the geological wonders of the Alps in peace.
The municipality by the lake
The community of Zum See is located at an altitude of 1,766 m at the foot of the Matterhorn above Zermatt in the Valais Alps. Zum See can be reached on foot from Zermatt or from the Furi mountain railway station. A true highlight is the restaurant Zum See, listed in the Michelin Guide.
Zermatt - In 3 days
Day 1
Time to discover Zermatt! The cosmopolitan mountain village is surrounded by larch forests at the foot of the Matterhorn. The best way to get to know Zermatt is on a walking tour. The car-free place, where only electric taxis and horse-drawn carriages operate, is ideal for exploring on foot. You can breathe history in Zermatt's old Hinterdorf. Along its narrow alleys, you will find not only barns, granaries, and haylofts but also quaint residential houses with dark wooden facades from the 16th to 18th centuries. Also worth seeing are the English Church of St. Peter's and the mountaineers' cemetery in memory of daring alpinists. Continue your walk to the Kirchbrücke. It is Zermatt's best spot to photograph the Matterhorn. In midsummer, the horned black-necked goats on Zermatt's Bahnhofstrasse prove to be real shooting stars. The promenade is otherwise known for its souvenir shops, chic boutiques, and restaurants. End your first day relaxed in one of the local bars.
Day 2
To many, the Matterhorn is considered the most beautiful mountain in the world. You can enjoy a breathtaking view of its majestic triangle from the ridge of the Gornergrat. The ascent is made with the Gornergrat Railway, which, as the first electric cog railway in Switzerland, has been leading to the summit and glacier world above Zermatt since 1898. Make a stop at the second-highest station, Rotenboden, and take a ten-minute walk to the Riffelsee, where the Matterhorn is impressively reflected in its smooth surface. Back on the tracks, you reach the Gornergrat station at an altitude of 3,089 meters, from whose viewing platform a panorama with 29 four-thousand-meter peaks unfolds. Visit the family-friendly multimedia exhibition "ZOOM the Matterhorn," where you can approach the 4,478-meter-high mountain and the surrounding alpine landscape with high-tech periscopes, in the 3D cinema, and on virtual paragliding flights. As a contrast to the day's mountain experiences, the Zermatt Casino beckons in the evening.
Day 3
If you can't get enough of magical Alpine panoramas, on the third day, take a trip to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with the highest viewing platform in Europe at 3,883 meters. The cable car ride to the Klein Matterhorn already offers unforgettable impressions. Once at the top, a variety of experiences await you to marvel at. In the deep ice, there is a glacier palace with centuries-old ice formations and artistic ice sculptures. Additionally, there is a walkable glacier crevasse, an ice slide, and a cinema lounge in a mystically lit tunnel. Slightly below, the Trockener Steg ridge invites you to hike and mountain bike. In winter, there are wonderful ski slopes in the immediate vicinity. As an alternative program, go underground next to the village church of Zermatt and visit the Matterhorn Museum Zermatlantis. Like in a sunken world, you experience the old Zermatt around 1850 and learn how the former farming village became a world-class resort. Afterwards, a hike to the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the Alps in Randa is worthwhile.
Zermatt - Climate
Due to its altitude, temperatures in Zermatt are moderate. In July and August, they average 14 ℃. If you travel to Zermatt from November to February, pack warm clothing: temperatures range between -1 and -5 ℃. In February and March, it snows on 19 days. July and August offer ten hours of sunshine per day, while from November to March, there are only four on average. There is 816 mm of rain per year, with the highest amount of precipitation in November at 111 mm.